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Akhenaten, initially known as Amenhotep IV, was an Eighteenth Dynasty (New Kingdom) pharaoh, who abandoned the worship of his ancestors in favour of one god only, the sun god Ra, as seen in the Aten, the sun-disc. In the fifth year of his reign Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaten (Akhen-aten). This new religion did not find favour with the priests of Amun or his subjects, and after his death his new city, Akhetaten, was demolished and his name erased from the chronicles of Egyptian kings. The modern name of Akhetaten is Amarna.
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Fig. Hh: Earthenware pelgrim’s flask from the Ancient Near East found at Akhetaten, SACHM 1780
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During the Eighteenth Dynasty Egypt was extremely prosperous and many nations paid tribute to the pharaoh. During the reign of Akhenaten’s father, Amenhotep III, Egypt was one of the most powerful nations of the time. This was a period of international contact and communication between Egypt and places like Ugarit, Palestine, Cyprus and Babylon, and letters were exchanged by rulers of these regions.
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Fig. 45: Amenhotep III, Luxor Museum, SACHM Photo Archives
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It is believed that Amenhotep IV ascended the throne around 1353 BCE, but this is not certain as some Egyptologists believe that he and his father, Amenhotep III, ruled jointly for several years. Whether this was the case or not, Amenhotep IV did not change his name immediately to Akhenaten.
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Fig. 46: Amenhotep IV later Akhenaten, Luxor Museum, SACHM Photo Archives
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Once the new religion of the Aten was established it became clear that the new faith was to be the only one. Akhenaten banned the worship of all the other Egyptian gods, especially Amun, and all the temples were closed. The priests of Amun were deeply disturbed, as they had enjoyed extreme prestige and power for many years. Perhaps Akhenaten wanted to curtail their power.
Akhenaten did not just establish a new religion or cult, but at the same time the static artistic styles underwent a change as well and instead of great battle scenes and captives the emphasis was on the royal family. They were portrayed in a more naturalistic and very affectionate way. The wife of Akhenaten, the lovely Nefertiti
(nefer means ‘beautiful’), played a prominent part in the celebration of the cult and her name is mentioned in numerous inscriptions.
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Fig. E: Head of Nefertiti (replica), SACHM 1797
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Akhenaten died in the seventeenth year of his reign and it is not clear who succeeded him. It is possible that it could have been Smenkhkare. He ruled fore a very short time and was followed by Tutankamun, a young child, who abandoned the city of Akhetaten and the cult of the Aten with his wife, Ankhsen-amun, daughter of Akhenaten. The city with its many houses, villas, artisans’ workshops, palaces and temples was only rediscovered in the 19th century. Tutankamun himself died very young and it was left to Howard Carter to discover his magnificent tomb in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings.
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Fig. Ii: Ankhsenpa-aten/Ankhsen-amun (replica), SACHM 90/138
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Amarna period – an experiment that did not last